Foreign direct investment (FDI) pledges for the first half of the year totaled $4.64 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 2.1 percent. Notably, FDI for the second quarter jumped 62 percent from a year ago on signs of an economic recovery. This is also a significant increase from the corresponding figure for the previous quarter.

While FDI from the United States and the European Union decreased 12.8 percent and 16.2 percent, respectively, Japanese investment saw a steep increase of 82.6 percent, amounting to $1.18 billion.

FDI in the manufacturing sector rose 1.0 percent to $1.67 billion, while investment in the service sector rebounded for the second quarter, showing positive growth after a fall in the first quarter. Greenfield investments dropped 4.1 percent, totaling $3.10 billion, and FDI through mergers and acquisitions climbed 17.4 percent to $1.55 billion.

Furthermore, large-scale investments—those in excess of $100 million—posted $2.71 billion, an increase of 79.2 percent from the same period the previous year, while investments worth less than $100 million slid 36.2 percent to $1.94 billion. New investments increased 6.8 percent, recording $1.72 billion.